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Topic: Pumpkin Ale (Read 8898 times)

Someone asked me about pumpkin ale, and I have brewed one, so here is the recipe. It's actually the Zymurgy cover article/recipe from a couple Autumn's ago. The author likes a bigger maltier pumpkin and it turned out just like that.

My gravity was lower cuz I made a bigger batch to share with a friend.

A 19 Lov Belgian malt, kilned and toasted for a malty effect. Roughly between a Munich 10L and Weyermann's Melanoidin. More dark munich or some melanoidin would be similar if you can't get ARomatic. Melanoidin will redden the color somewhat.

My best advice would be to go easy on the spices, you can always add later. Especially clove, I use a quarter of what is stated in some recipes.This was my most recent attempt at pumpkin ale. It tasted like pumpkin pie smoothie before fermenting, and the pumpkin taste faded a little after fermenting but the spice balance was where I liked it. A few days before Thanksgiving I'll check the taste and carbonation to get ready for Turkey Day:

Everyone loved it on Thanksgiving. I didn't. I didn't like the strong clove "punch" and may skip adding it next year. However, today (12/15) it keeps getting better. It is freaking awesome now. The clove faded and blended and it was a very smooth pumpkin pie taste. My suggestion would be -- brew this in Late July or August and let it age a few months. If you want pumpkin, you may have to go with canned unless the crop comes in early. I wouldn't be scared to use yams either. Or nothing but just spices.